Foster Griffin
#22 SP · Nationals
Height
6'3"
Weight
225 lbs
Age
30
College
N/A
Draft
2014, Rd 1, #28
Experience
2 yrs
Bats/Throws
R/L
C+
A
B
—
Fan Verdict
Grade this player:
Career StatsA
| Year | Team | GP | ERA | W-L | K | WHIP | IP | SV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career |  | 11 | 4.081395 | 3-0 | 24 | 1.3255814 | 0.0 | 0 |
Current Contract
Length
1 year
Total Value
$5.5M
Guaranteed
$3.3M
AAV
$5.5M/yr
Guaranteed %60%
Performance Analysis
A
FCA+
Foster Griffin has emerged as an elite-level starting pitcher for the Nationals, earning an A performance grade that reflects his impressive second-year development after returning from his Japan stint. The 30-year-old left-hander has capitalized on his fresh start in Washington, transforming from a former first-round pick (28th overall in 2014) into a legitimate mid-rotation asset. His $5.5M AAV contract represents exceptional value for a pitcher performing at this caliber, especially considering the modest expectations that accompanied his signing. Griffin's durability and consistency have been key strengths, allowing the Nationals to rely on him as a steady presence in their rotation during what appears to be an active roster construction phase. The cautiously optimistic media coverage that surrounded his arrival has been validated by his performance, with early spring training competence translating into sustained success. At 30, Griffin is hitting his prime years as a starter, and his trajectory suggests the Nationals found a legitimate contributor who can anchor their rotation for the foreseeable future.
Fan & Media Sentiment
B
Positive
NegativeNeutralPositive
Foster Griffin's public narrative sits at a solid B — cautiously optimistic, genuinely intrigued, but not yet at full-throated celebration. The core of that sentiment is a compelling comeback story: beat writers have latched onto the fact that Griffin spent three years away from the major leagues before earning his way back, and the arsenal adjustments he made during that absence are being framed as the intellectual engine behind his current effectiveness with Washington. That storyline gets real credibility from his on-field performance, which grades out at an A — the gap between his sentiment grade and his performance grade tells you that fans and media are impressed but still applying a measured wait-and-see filter to a pitcher reclaiming his footing at the highest level. A recent outing featuring seven strikeouts served as a punctuation mark on the return narrative and gave beat writers a specific, highlight-worthy data point to rally around. At the same time, the Nationals have been cycling through a steady stream of pitching additions — multiple right-handers and a left-hander added to the roster over the past two weeks — which subtly signals organizational uncertainty around rotation depth and keeps Griffin's spot from feeling fully locked in, even if he has earned it. The Nationals are sitting at 16-20, navigating a difficult home stretch, and in that context Griffin's ability to contribute meaningful innings only amplifies fan investment in his trajectory. Where the narrative sits right now: this is a genuine feel-good story with real substance behind it, but the sentiment grade will rise to meet the performance grade only when the sample size grows large enough to convert cautious optimism into conviction.
Recent Games
| Date | OPP | Result | AB | H | R | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 5/8 | @ MIA | W 3-2 | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
| Sat, 5/2 | vs MIL | L 1-4 | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
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About this player
Foster Griffin is a player in his 2nd MLB season listed at SP for the Nationals. FanVerdicts maintains four independent grades for every MLB player on an active roster — Contract Value Index for the deal itself, Performance for on-field production, Sentiment for media and fan reaction, and Fan Verdict for community voting. Current grades for Foster Griffin: Contract Value Index C+, Performance A, Sentiment B, Fan Verdict pending.
Every grade refreshes on its own cadence as new data lands. Performance recalculates when MLB game stats post; Sentiment updates with new media coverage and fan discussion; Contract Value Index recomputes when contract terms change; Fan Verdict reflects live community voting on this profile. Contract details below show the structure (years, total value, average annual value, guarantees) the Contract Value Index grade is computed against.
For league-wide context, the MLB hub has team rankings, GM report cards, the transactions feed, and live scoreboards. The MLB player rankings page sorts every active player by performance and contract value within their position.